I've been involved with Project Literacy US for over a year, first as a tutor and then as a board member. Bergen County PLUS is a coordinated effort to increase the level of public consciousness on the issues of adult literacy. In addition, Bergen County PLUS provides qualified volunteer tutors to teach and guide adults in need of basic reading assistance. At present there are approximately 45 tutor-student teams meeting weekly. There is also a waiting list of students that need a tutor that is about two or three times as long as those being served.
I know that literacy is often low on the list of social concerns. I mean, how hard is it to learn how to read? Kids do it all the time! But the thing is, low literacy skills are correlated with a host of problems such as, higher poverty rates, lower wages, more public assistance use, and higher health care expenses (See the results of the National Assessments of Adult Literacy (NAALs)). I'm not saying that teaching an adult to read will necessarily lift them out of poverty. However, not being able to read proficiently will only make it that much harder for someone to make a better life for themselves.
So, if you're in Bergen County, NJ and would like to contribute to PLUS you can contact them at plusb@aol.com. You can also spend some cash at the Annual Gala on October 13, 2007. I'll be there!
Project Literacy U.S. is happy to announce its
Fourth Annual Gala
An Evening in Tuscany
Saturday, October 13, 2007
at The Skylands Castle
Ringwood, New Jersey
Honoree: Mary Higgins Clark
Music by the Infernos
**Black Tie**
Tickets available by calling 201-489-7066
Major credit cards accepted.
All the proceeds benefit adult literacy.
1 comment:
Illiteracy is a problem of mammoth proportions financially, socially, and personally. The amount of money lost by the illiterate individual over the course of his earning lifetime is great; in turn, he/she does not have the financial resources to contribute to the national commerce as a producer or a consumer thus effecting everyone in the nation. Also, an illiterate person suffers the humiliation of being illiterate. Societally, illiteracy is highlighted, but truly, little is done to help this longtime problem that is growing. Kids are graduating from our nation's high school illiterate. The average reading level of an English language learner is third grade. What can one do to take care of oneself with that level of skill? Service level jobs are disappearing.
Keep tutoring.
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